KOSAKOWSKI’S SEMIFINAL IN SARASOTA ENOUGH TO LEAD FOR FRENCH OPEN WILD CARD by Ricky Dimon

Written by: on 22nd April 2014
Kosakowski4-9-10
KOSAKOWSKI'S SEMIFINAL IN SARASOTA ENOUGH TO LEAD FOR FRENCH OPEN WILD CARD by Ricky Dimon  |

Daniel Kosakowski

 

Daniel Kosakowski has the lead for the USTA’s main-draw wild card into the French Open after reaching the semifinals of the Sarasota Challenger. Kosakowski scored straight-set wins over Michael Russell, James McGee, and James Ward before falling to Nick Kyrgios on Saturday.

 

Whereas the USTA holds a three-day, eight-man tournament in Atlanta to allocate its annual Australian Open wild card, it bases its ticket to Roland Garros on a stretch of three consecutive clay-court Challenger events. The winner will be decided after Savannah, which begins on Monday, and Tallahassee the following week.

 

In Sarasota, the point system per round went as follows: 8, 18, 35, 60, 100. Less lucrative events in Savannah and Tallahassee award 7, 15, 29, 48, and 80 points.

 

Kosakowski seemed to be on his way to earning no less than 60 points as a Sarasota finalist, but he could not hold onto a 4-1 lead in the third set over Kyrgios. Instead, Kyrgios won the last five games of the match to prevail 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 18-year-old Australian eventually took the title over Filip Krajinovic, 7-6(10), 6-4 on Sunday.

 

Still, Kosakowski has the lead in part thanks to the futility of his fellow Americans. Rhyne Williams, Tim Smyczek, Alex Kuznetsov, Jarmere Jenkins, Bobby Reynolds, Mac Styslinger, and Sekou Bangoura all lost in the Sarasota first round. No contender other than Kosakowski reached even the second round. Donald Young advanced to the quarterfinals, but he already has direct entry into the French Open.

 

The Savannah draw features Kosakowski, Smyczek, Kuznetsov (the 2013 wild card winner), Reynolds, Williams, Jenkins, and Robby Ginepri.

Topics: , , , , , , , , ,








10sBalls Top Stories

In Case You Missed It

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA thumbnail

EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA

Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE

Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER thumbnail

TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER

According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife thumbnail

Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife

Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos
ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS thumbnail

ALEJANDRO’S FAVORITE PHOTOS FOR 10SBALLS FROM SOME OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENTS

Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia hits a forehand to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia during her second round match at the Nature Valley International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, Great Britain, on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.